Few days back, I had the opportunity to go throw research works and materials in agricultural economics and realized, as a matter of fact, that most of the time, the possibility of increasing the production of certain agricultural products depends on the marketability of that product. Cucumber is one of such agricultural products, and I ‘did talk more about it.

In a conference organized by young farmers association in a certain region in Nigeria, I took keen note of complains presented by members who farm cucumber in commercial scale. The reoccurring complains was mostly about the durability of this product, the marketability and storage issues. At some point, a man told how he had to blend cucumber to fill a fifty liter Container so that it doesn’t get ripe and waste because his client was soon to order to some of it. So my question is;

• What other needs to cucumber serve to consumers?

• Do cucumber farmer actually make good returns on investment

Cucumber is a seasonal agro product and so it is likely to yield more returns when cultivated and groomed out of season. This is what I mean; Cucumber grows better when cultivated in warm weather between February and July or Between April and July. So when there is more productivity than consumed, farmers are likely to loss out.

Aside eating it, cucumber serve only a little percent of industrial need especially in Nigeria. From the farm, cucumbers are sold to wholesalers or sometimes directly to retailers who most times sample them on roadside stands where consumers buy them. When very large quantity of cucumber leaves the farm, they rely on the mercy of the market for returns.

Major factors that influence the market of cucumber include;

• Consumer eating habit

• Industrial use

• Seasons

Twist or change in one or more of these will influence the market of cucumber either positively or negatively.